12 Responses to Must-See Goal: Giles Barnes

Great timing from the announcer-He can hit them from here you know–just one second before the strike. A great strike, but Kasey Keller was right about the Sounders–they were more an audience than an opposition.

new viewer to MLS. Couple questions. How come MLS doesn’t have the tiered league system with relegation that soccer leagues in other countries have? Also, has their been any talk to going to one league table to make the league easier to follow?

Andrew: You have tapped into a question that has been debated on this any many other sites for years. The current situation may be described as follows: (1) While many people think it would be a good idea, given the investment that various people and corporations have made, and the devastating effects that relegation would have on their assets, it is unlikely that we will see a promotion/relegation system in the foreseeable future. In short, MLS finances are still not stable enough to risk the havoc that promotion/relegatin would cause. (2) Single-table also has many advocates, but given the size of the league, its complex post-season playoff system, and a desire to reduce cross-country travel, a two-conference setup is likely to stick around, especially with the league set to grow to 24 teams within the next few years.

To add to your comment… the US league covers by far the largest geographical distance of any soccer league. Even other large countries (Brazil & Russia) tend to have all their teams clustered in one area or time zone. MLS has several teams that are 5+ hour flights and 3 time zones away from each other, making a single table very difficult. Liverpool to Arsenal = 200 miles. LA to Montreal = 2,900 miles.

The simple answer to your first question is in other countries owners arent putting up hundreds of millions up front (SSS and expansions fees) to get into a league only to have it relegated and their invest tank in value. It is hard to imagine that system getting implemented in the US, the owners will never allow it.

My view is that American soccer has entered into pro/rel with American football, baseball, basketball and hockey. Instead of one major sport with many levels, we have have 5 major sports with (essentially) one level each. For the most part (to my limited understanding) all are single entity and competing for advertising dollars, attendance and television time. It is uniquely American: we substitute a unified soccer pyramid with a plethora of high-quality sports entertainment. The best part for MLS fans is that American soccer is growing in skill and popularity, and this is one of the best times to start watching MLS.

Here is the tough thing about yelling to press, you then leave gaps open even closer to the goal and can get cut open easily against good teams. Generally I just believe you have to hope that someone cant hit that shot, if someone manages to tip your hat and move on.

Interesting comparison with Agudelo goal. Barnes’ goal is pure technique. Get into space, turn and drive the hips through the ball. Agudelo’s is pure instinct and a once in a career shot. Barnes could be in an instructional video.